


My Home is You

by DoctorQui



Series: walking 'cross the campus [10]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, Latino/Native American Jesse McCree, M/M, Meet the Family, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Trans Character, Trans Hanzo Shimada, i actually had to stop multiple times while writing this because i love these boys so much, i seriously cannot convey to you how gay and fluffy this is, like beyond sephiroth levels of gay, there is a scene with Heavy Innuendo featuring a very lucky popsicle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-31
Updated: 2017-08-31
Packaged: 2018-12-22 00:43:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11956149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorQui/pseuds/DoctorQui
Summary: It's summer, and Jesse brings Hanzo to visit his family. He's kind of nervous about it, but Jesse is insistent, so he agrees to spend a few days with Jesse on the family ranch. After all, home is where the heart is, right?





	My Home is You

**Author's Note:**

> In case you didn't read the tags, there is a spicy moment with very heavy innuendo about halfway through, so you've been forewarned!

Hanzo was generally not the nervous type. He liked to pride himself on remaining calm, composed in even the most unnerving of situations. Currently, however, Hanzo was contemplating jumping out onto the sunny Californian roadside just to stop his legs from shaking.

 

Fortunately, a solution to his problem came in the form of a warm arm around his shoulder. “Now Han,” Jesse spoke into his ear, voice low and comforting. “Ain't got nothin’ to worry about. They’re gonna love you.”

 

Hanzo nodded in response and reached up to squeeze Jesse’s hand. “I know. It is simply...jeeters.”

 

“Jitters, hon.”

 

“Jitters, yes.”

 

Jesse barked a laugh and pressed a quick kiss to the side of Hanzo’s temple before leading them forward.

 

The McCree family had a nice house. Two stories of old-fashioned wood paneling, painted white and peeling just a bit, situated behind a large garden and in front of a roaming pasture. The whole of it was extremely pleasant to look at. The air was crisp and clear, and while the sun shown bright it was cold in comparison to the muggy humidity of Japanese summers.

 

Hanzo took another look around the garden. It was obviously well loved, cared for year-round. The beautiful emerald green shades of the plants and grass roamed on past the house, turning to a slightly more brackish yellow as it met the dry fields. Jesse said the worst of the drought had passed by now, but compared to their campus the difference was staggering.

 

Jesse squeezed Hanzo’s shoulder to grab his attention. “Han, darlin’, come on now. Let’s get our stuff inside before the cicadas eat it.”

 

Hanzo raised an eyebrow. “You are thinking of moths, Jesse.”

 

“Same difference.”

 

Hanzo rolled his eyes but followed anyway, carrying his luggage up the winding gravel path until they arrived at the porch. The wood had seen better days, as evidenced by the groaning protest it gave as Jesse stepped up on it, but much like the garden Hanzo could see it was well loved. The little details really brought its charm forward; divots in the wood from the two lawn chairs that sat to the left side, a cobweb-covered hanging loveseat, crayon drawings that never quite managed to fade. Hanzo could make out one of a cowboy on a crudely-drawn horse waving his arms in the air. The thought of a younger Jesse sitting out here doodling the day away made Hanzo’s heart flutter.

 

Almost as if on cue, the front door swung open with a loud _thwack,_ startling both Hanzo and Jesse into looking towards it. Standing in the doorway was a short, stout woman who bore a striking resemblance to Jesse with a mess of curly brown hair and hazel eyes. Her face lit up with a smile to rival the sun’s as she took in the two of them and ran forward to envelope Jesse in a tight hug.

 

 _“Mijo!_ You’re finally home!” Her words were muffled in the fabric of Jesse’s shirt, but if the wheeze she squeezed out of him was anything to go by she was very excited.

 

“Ma _ma,_ you’re choking me!” Jesse laughed and patted her back. “I need to breathe!”

 

“Oh, you’re such a baby sometimes. Can’t even handle a hug!” She stepped back and put her hands on her hips, still grinning. Her gaze then wandered over to Hanzo and she grabbed his hand tightly. “And you must be Hanzo! Oh, you’ve made my boy so happy. And you’re so much more handsome in person!”

 

“ _Mama!”_

 

Hanzo felt heat seep into his cheeks but tried his best to keep a straight face. “Uh, thank you, Mrs. McCree.”

 

“None of that! Call me Lucia, I insist.” She released Hanzo’s hand with a firm nod. “Makes it easier to distinguish anyway. If everyone called my wife and I ‘Mrs. McCree’ we’d never stop being confused.”

 

“Of course, Mrs. Lucia.”

 

“Bah, you’ll loosen up with time. Come in though, come in! I’m making pupusas for lunch, since I know they’re Jesse’s favorite, and I’m sure that everyone wants to meet you.” Lucia turned towards the door and held it open, ushering the two inside.

 

Jesse looked over at Hanzo with a sheepish grin, cheeks glowing a slight pink. Hanzo tried his best to swallow down the embarrassment of not knowing what to call his boyfriend’s mother. “After you, darlin’.”

 

The inside of the McCree’s house was exactly as one would expect it to be. It was homey, decorated ceiling to floor with various patterns and knick knacks as well as family photos and awards. The main living room had a couch and television set as well as a staircase and a path that extended towards what Hanzo could only assume was the kitchen. Hanzo took a glance up the stairs and saw two pairs of beady eyes staring back at him, accompanied by a lazily waving tail.

 

“Oh, that’s Cas an’ Fred. Had those two little rascals since we moved in here.” Jesse came up behind Hanzo and placed his bag at their feet. “You can leave your stuff right next to the couch here for now. They won’t get into it; despite what they say ‘bout black cats bein’ bad luck they’re real sweethearts. Well, Cas is. Fred’s kinda stupid.”

 

“What a mean thing to say about your own cat.” Hanzo raised an eyebrow, looking up at them. As if to spite him, at that exact moment Fred turned on his side and narrowed his eyes before pawing at a speck of dust.

 

Jesse chuckled. “I only tell the truth, hon. Now, let’s go see the rest of my folks, yeah?”

 

Hanzo swallowed thickly. Lucia seemed nice enough, so there was no reason to be nervous. Nothing to worry about.

 

If only his heart would drop out of his throat long enough for him to breathe normally.

 

They left their luggage in the main room and took the tiled path that led to what Hanzo had correctly assumed was the kitchen. It was small, cozy like the rest of the house, but enough to fit at least six people. Sitting at the gingham-patterned table towards the end with a mug of coffee and a tablet was another woman, this one tall and slim but definitely muscular. Her long, straight black hair was tied in two clumsy braids down her back, and Hanzo was able to make out a brush of freckles across the bridge of her nose. She turned to the newcomers with a smirk and raised her mug in greeting.

 

“Ah, so lovely of you to join us, Jess. And Hanzo, ‘course. I’m Indigo, lovely to meet you. Though I don’t know what you see in my son--he’s lazy, and such a slob sometimes.” She tilted her head, as if considering how Jesse could possibly land a date.

 

Hanzo blinked, and Jesse’s face bloomed a bright red. “Ma!”

 

“What? Ain’t my fault this boy got bad taste.”

 

“He ain’t used to your sense of humor yet, don’t do that.” If looks could kill, Hanzo was sure Jesse’s mother would have several daggers embedded in her chest. While he felt he should have been offended, Hanzo couldn’t help but find the whole exchange oddly charming.

 

“A pleasure to meet you as well, Mrs. McCr--er, Mrs. Indigo,” Hanzo stuttered, feeling heat creep up on his cheeks again. He just couldn’t get this right, could he? “As for my taste in men, I’m afraid Jesse has just about ruined me. Half-spoken words and dirty boots really should not be attractive but as I’m sure you know, he tends to do what he likes.”

 

Jesse groaned and Indigo laughed, the sound sweet and clear in the stuffy little kitchen. “Oh, I like this one. He’s a keeper. You keep this one, Jess, I ain’t forgivin’ you otherwise!”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Jesse griped and looped his thumbs through his belt loops, slouching to hide the blush on his face. Hanzo gave him a quick peck on the cheek as a consolation; this was sweet vengeance for all the times he and Genji had teased him, after all.

 

“So cute!” Lucia chimed in from behind them. “Though I have to ask you to take your little flirts elsewhere. The pupusas will be ready in a few minutes, so take the time to unpack a bit, yeah?”

 

Jesse jumped on the opportunity like a dog on a steak, pulling Hanzo right out of the kitchen with a hand clamped tightly around his wrist. No matter how fast he went, though, he couldn’t outrun Indigo’s laughter following them down the hall.

 

“They’re tryna sun-ripen me sometimes, I swear,” Jesse sighed. He came to a stop at the base of the stairs and released his grip to allow Hanzo to pick up his bag. “ _You_ seem to be enjoyin’ my torture, at least.”

 

Hanzo rolled his eyes and began ascending the stairs. “Yes, I am. Thank you for noticing.”

 

The upstairs part of the McCree household was very similar to the first floor. Decorations coated the walls, but whereas downstairs was obviously a shared space this section of the house was obviously sectioned off according to rooms. The hall consisted of five rooms total, one of which being the bathroom at the end of the hall. Hanzo couldn’t help but smile at the unique decorations on each door. Jesse’s section was covered in gaudy golden cacti stickers, which he was quick to explain away as “a gift that went too far.”

 

Hanzo would have to keep that in mind next time Genji asked for prank ideas.

\---

The rest of the day passed with little incidence. The lunch Lucia prepared was absolutely delicious, dinner similarly so, and Hanzo took the time to speak a little more with Jesse’s parents. It turned out that Indigo was originally born in this area, her family’s history here dating back all the way past historical record. It was blind coincidence that her job had moved them to here from Santa Fe, but luck that enabled them to find the affordable patch of land they now called home. Hanzo could hardly believe the house had only belonged to them for a handful of years; though Jesse had mentioned previously that they moved right around when he started high school, the house was just so lived-in.

 

Hanzo also met the two other McCree’s, a young teenager by the name of Josephina (“Call me Josie, please”) and a boy a few years older than Jesse named Jay. Hanzo tried his best to hide his amusement at the alliterative names, but he had a feeling Jesse caught onto him. They were nice, albeit very different from Jesse.

 

Josie was the spitting image of Indigo, though much more quiet and demure at first glance. Once Jesse got started talking to her though her demeanor changed entirely; polite commentary turned to sassy quips, and Hanzo found himself thinking how well she and Genji would get along.

 

Jay, on the other hand, was energetic through and through. In contrast to Jesse’s lazy smiles and easy pace, he always seemed to be charging full speed ahead towards something. He was loud, emphatic, and a little annoying if Hanzo was being honest. But it was easy to see his heart was in the right place, even if he didn’t know when to shut up sometimes. It also turned out that he was in charge of handling the physical labor on the ranch alongside Indigo, while Lucia had taken up more of a clerical job over the years.

 

As Hanzo settled in for the night on Jesse’s bed, he found his thoughts on the day turning through his mind in a surprisingly pleasant way. He really had been worrying over nothing.

 

“Penny for your thoughts, darlin’?” Jesse asked, sliding under the covers next to him. He was back in those tacky red boxers with the cartoon revolvers, but Hanzo couldn’t stop smiling long enough to chide him.

 

“I was just thinking about how you were correct, for once,” Hanzo replied, leaning forward to land a sly peck on his boyfriend’s lips. Jesse made a small noise of contentment and Hanzo’s grin grew. “You have a lovely home. A lovely family. Thank you for bringing me here, Jesse.”

 

The blush from earlier today sprang back onto Jesse’s cheeks full force, and he tilted his head down in a halfhearted attempt to hide it. “Shucks, sugar,” he whispered, “you’re too damn good to me.”

 

Hanzo chuckled. “Yes, well, I could say the same for you.” He leaned forward and laid a soft kiss on Jesse’s forehead before pressing forward so that they were cuddled against each other. “Goodnight, Jesse.”

 

“‘Night, Han.”

\---

When Hanzo awoke the next day, Jesse was already dressed and waiting for him. He cited it as ‘ranch time,’ some sort of innate instinct to get up at the crack of dawn that sparked in him when he was home, but Hanzo knew it was just plain excitement. After all, he’d never seen Jesse out of bed before noon when he had the chance to sleep in. Yet he was practically bouncing with energy when the two of them exited through the back door to approach the main ranch house.

 

It was hot again today, the sun shining brightly as they made their way through the slightly-yellowed fields. Hanzo spared a glance at Jesse and smiled to himself; he was positively _glowing_ in the light, tan cheeks split by a wide grin.

 

He stopped in front of a medium-sized brownish red barn, hands on his hips. The barn itself was obviously old, but still in relatively good condition. The windows were clean, though a bit dusty, and when Jesse swung open the wooden door it barely protested. The inside was dark and cool, filled to the brim with cloth sacks and bales upon bales of hay and other foodstuffs Hanzo didn’t recognize offhand.

 

“Right, so, here’s the main station. This is where we store a lot of our food n’ equipment, ‘specially for the horses. I remember having to shovel hay out here for hours when I was a teenager.” The image of a younger Jesse, shirtless and sweaty, sprung unbidden into Hanzo’s mind. Jesse gave him a crooked grin and continued, “We sometimes herd the animals in here if we gotta, though the weather’s pretty mild in these parts. C’mon, I’ll show you the cows.”

 

Hanzo could only nod and follow along, attempting to clear his head of the rather _distracting_ thoughts that Jesse inspired. He took them around the side of the barn, where Hanzo could see several cows grazing along the pasture. They were of all colors and sizes, big black bulls intermingled with tiny brown calves. One of them, the runt of the litter by the looks of it, came up and butted its little head against Hanzo’s thighs.

 

Hanzo froze, unsure of what to do. Was it alright to pet it? It looked so... _fragile._ What if he hurt it? This was Jesse’s family’s business, he didn’t want to ruin anything--

 

As if reading his mind, Jesse bent down and lightly pat the calf on the head with his prosthetic hand. “Hey there, fella. You makin’ a move on my man?”

 

The cow stared up at him and blinked, then licked a long stripe up Jesse’s chin. Hanzo felt the panic in his gut dissipate in an instant, and bit down on his lip to keep from laughing. “I think he is trying to steal _mine,_ actually,” he managed, barely keeping the amusement from his voice.

 

Jesse turned to him with a mild glare. “Yeah, well, he can’t have me. This’un’s a newborn anyway, I think. Born recently, don’t got a name for him yet. Would you want to do the honors?”

 

Hanzo blinked. “Me?”

 

“Yeah! He’ll be like our son. Our little furry son.” Jesse smiled down at the calf, who continued to look up at them with a blank stare. It really was cute.

 

“Teddy.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“You should name him Teddy.” Hanzo nodded.

 

“Oh, jus’ like the president! Perfect. _Una vaca_ named after _un vaquero.”_ Jesse smiled and patted the calf on the head once more. Hanzo felt his cheeks heat up and pointedly looked away; he didn’t want to admit that Jesse had guessed the exact reasoning behind the name.

 

Luckily Jesse said nothing, and after giving a bit more attention to Teddy they moved on. Jesse showed him the chicken coop and pointed out his neighbor’s pig pens in the distance before moving on to what he deemed the main event: the horses.

 

“We got ‘bout five horses we’re takin’ care of right now, though I think Mama mentioned we’d have a new addition soon. We got a paint, a mustang, and three quarter horses. They’re damn fine horses, real lovely. ‘Cept Reyes. Reyes is a dick.”

 

“You named a horse after Gabriel?” Hanzo raised an eyebrow.

 

“No! He was named that before. He just also happens to be our most dick-ish horse. Real piece of work. You’ll see, c’mon.” Jesse grabbed Hanzo’s hand and tugged him towards the other end of the pasture where a large olive tree cast a spot of shade near the fence. He could make out the five aforementioned horses lounging beneath it, tails flicking lazily in the summer heat.

 

Jesse slowed down as they approached. “Now, we gotta be careful not to spook ‘em. I got some treats in m’pocket so you can get ‘em to like you right quick.” He dug in his pocket for a moment and came out with a handful of round green biscuits which he offered to Hanzo. “Give ‘em a couple of these and they’ll let you right on.”

 

Hanzo took the treats with a grateful nod and a bit of a smile, then stepped forward. They really were beautiful horses; one speckled brown and white, the others various shades of gray, brown, and black, with one palomino. He knelt and held his hand out carefully, allowing one of them to sniff at it, before the horse reached forward and licked a treat right out of his palm. The others followed suit in a heartbeat, and before he knew it Hanzo’s palm was empty and slick with spit.

 

“There you go! You’re a natural, darlin’.” Jesse clapped him on the back and laughed softly. His grin made Hanzo feel like Icarus, adrift and melting in the golden rays of the sun. 

 

“I am glad to hear it.” Hanzo smiled back, reaching up to hook his arm with Jesse’s. “So, are you going to teach me to mount one of these fine horses, or is that a privilege reserved for you?”

 

“Han!” Jesse’s grin immediately dropped, replaced by a rush of blood to his cheeks and an honest to god _squeak_ in his voice. “You can’t--You don’t--Don’t just _say_ shit like that! God, you don’t know what you do to me.”

 

Hanzo grinned and leaned closer, whispering into Jesse’s ear, “I am precisely aware of what I do to you. I simply enjoy watching you ‘blush like a bride in June.’”

 

“I taught you that one! No fair!”

 

“All is fair in love and war, Jess.”

 

Jesse groaned and tipped his hat over his face while Hanzo laughed, chuckles turning to wheezes before he was able to stop. Once Jesse had gotten his face somewhat schooled, he turned back to his boyfriend, a half hearted scowl on his lips.

 

“Just pick a horse already, please,” he pleaded, looking pointedly away from the huge smile Hanzo wore.

 

Hanzo cast his eyes over the group and took them all in. None of them had bothered to move except for one, a large black horse who stared intensely at Hanzo. It almost seemed as if it were challenging him.

 

“That one.” Hanzo pointed.

 

Jesse groaned again. “Seriously? Of all five, you pick Reyes. Of course you would. Alright, well, if you fall off I can catch you dramatically in my arms. Let’s start bareback, yeah?”

 

“Mm, I know how you like that--”

 

“Han!”

 

“Okay, I’ll stop,” Hanzo relented, though the laughter wouldn’t leave his voice. Jesse just made it so easy to tease.

 

Despite how comfortable he felt, however, it seemed Reyes was determined to be, as Jesse had said, a dick. It took ten minutes to get him to move from underneath the tree at all, and a few more to let Hanzo even go near him. By the time Hanzo was able to touch him, they were all getting impatient.

 

“Okay, now grab on by the neck and swing your leg up and over. I can give you a boost with m’hand too, if you need it,” Jesse said, pointing out where to stand next to the horse. Hanzo responded with a nod and made his first attempt, but didn’t get enough height. He got it on the second try though, and landed square in the middle of Reyes’s back.

 

It was a strange feeling, in all honesty. Hanzo had never ridden on horseback before, so the experience was new to him. He could feel the ridges of the Reyes’s spine, the powerful muscles just underneath. There was something almost calming about sitting here, yet equally frightening at the same time.

 

Almost as if to prove his point, Reyes decided to give his back legs a kick. Hanzo tumbled easily off of his back and into Jesse, sending the both of them sprawling to the ground. He turned to glare back at the horse, whose long face somehow looked smug.

 

Jesse only seemed amused though, and began to laugh. Hanzo turned his scowl on him, but Jesse was undeterred, his chuckles resounding through the pasture.

 

“It is not that funny.” Hanzo pouted, leaning back and crossing his arms.

 

Jesse wiped a tear from his eyes and sat up on his elbows. “It kinda is, doll. Told you Reyes was an asshole.”

 

Hanzo hummed a moment, thinking, then leaned forward and caught Jesse’s lips in his own. Jesse made a soft noise of surprise and melted into the kiss, his hands coming up to grip lightly at Hanzo’s hips.

 

“Will I always be able to shut you up this way?” Hanzo asked as he drew back slightly, warm breath puffing against Jesse’s lips.

 

“Don’t know, sweetpea. Better double check.”

 

Hanzo rolled his eyes but leaned forward again anyway. Some things never changed.

\---

As the day continued on, the weather only grew warmer. Eventually Hanzo had to change into a sports bra and tank top when the heat became too much for a binder. Jesse’s house didn’t have air conditioning either, only fans, so the two of them retreated to the loveseat on the porch outside. In a stroke of luck, Jesse had also found a box of coconut popsicles for them to enjoy to take the edge off.

 

It was nice, sitting in the relative silence of mid-summer. Cicadas chirped at them and the grass swayed ever so slightly in the small breeze, scattering the sweet scent of yellow bush lupine all around them. Hanzo closed his eyes, focusing on the artificially sweet taste of the popsicle and the minor swing of the loveseat.

 

Then, an idea came to mind.

 

Slowly, so as not to be too conspicuous, Hanzo leaned his arm over so that it was barely touching Jesse’s. He looked over, and Hanzo put his plan into action. He began sucking on the popsicle in earnest, running his tongue along the edges while taking it in _deep._

 

Jesse’s cheeks burned. “Han….”

 

“Mm,” Hanzo moaned quietly, removing the treat with a wet pop. “Yes, Jesse?”

 

“You uh….” He swallowed thickly, face dark and ruddy. “You tryna say somethin’?”

 

“Why, no, of course not.” Hanzo smiled sweetly, taking a moment to lick a wide stripe at the head of the popsicle. “I am simply enjoying a tasty treat on a hot day.”

 

“Uh huh.” Jesse’s eyes roamed down to Hanzo’s mouth and back up, an eyebrow raised in disbelief. “You, ah, keep doin’ that, darlin’.”

 

Hanzo had no reflection to see himself in, but he’d bet money that the mischief in his eyes could rival Genji’s. “Of course. My pleasure.”

 

He kept his gaze locked with Jesse’s as he continued sucking on the popsicle, the slick treat sliding easily in and out of his hollowed out cheeks. Hanzo panted into it, closing his eyes and letting himself groan and rumble ever so slightly as he continued. Jesse’s stare was razor sharp, cutting through Hanzo like a whip, but he wouldn’t stop. He could see his boyfriend’s pupils shifting ever so slightly, watching his every movement intently. As he continued, the edges of the popsicle began to melt in the summer heat, causing small drops of white to slip down his chin and splash on his tank.

 

“Mm, oh, I apologize. It seems I am making a mess,” Hanzo added coyly, speaking around the popsicle still in his mouth. He reached up and slid one of the straps of his tank off the side of his shoulder before picking up the front and pulling it back and forth in an effort to fan himself. Jesse licked his lips, utterly _enticed._ “Hn, so _hot._ Don’t you agree, Jesse?”

 

“Yeah…” Jesse whispered. His voice was hoarse. “Very.”

 

“It’s a good thing I have this wonderfully sweet popsicle, yes?” Hanzo added, punctuating each word with another lick.

 

“Han, please, baby come on.”

 

Hanzo continued on, savoring every bit of hunger in those brown eyes. He let the other strap of his tank slip off his shoulder as well, leaving them bare as more streaks of white collected on his chest from the melting popsicle.

 

“Please what, _Jesse?”_ Hanzo practically purred and wrapped his tongue around the length of the stick, choking just a little before moaning in a way that could only be described as absolutely obscene.

 

Jesse finally snapped, leaning forward and grabbing Hanzo forcefully by both wrists before pinning them to the seatback and swallowing his lips in a hungry kiss. He tasted like coconut and sweat, smelled like grass and hay and old pine wood. Hanzo tossed the popsicle off the porch with a flick of his wrist and focused on Jesse’s lips, his tongue, the feeling of him pressed so close in the dry summer heat.

 

They broke apart after a moment, panting heavily like they’d just run a marathon.

 

Hanzo tested Jesse’s grip on his wrists--totally solid. He smirked. “You made me waste my popsicle, Jesse. That’s not very nice.”

 

Jesse’s smile struck him like Apollo’s arrow, burning straight through his heart.

 

“Consider it payback, darlin’.”

\---

When the temperature cooled down a bit, Hanzo and Jesse moved back inside. Jesse brought out his Playstation and booted up a game--Metal Gear Solid 3, one of his favorites. With all that Jesse bragged about how many times he’d played it, Hanzo expected him to take over and show off, so he was shocked when Jesse casually handed the controller off to him with a sly smile.

 

“I wanna see you try it, darlin’. This save file’s not too far from a boss fight, so you got some time to get used to the controls.” He gestured to the TV, pointing out the different controls and what they all did. Hanzo paid rapt attention: Jesse was always good at igniting his competitive streak, and this would be no exception.

 

The game was harder than it looked, however. It wasn’t immensely difficult--Hanzo got the hang of sneaking around fairly easily, was able to aim his shots well, and generally found the game fun. The real problem arose when he arrived at the boss fight, an old sniper named The End.

 

Tacky name aside, he was no joke. The fight consisted of a sniper battle with the old man, who could photosynthesize and camouflage near perfectly. Hanzo prided himself on being a fantastic sniper in whichever game he played, yet found himself cussing up a storm in no time, growing increasingly frustrated as Jesse only seemed to grow more amused.

 

As if to add to the distraction, Cas picked that time to crawl into Hanzo’s lap with a soft meow. He began purring and kneading at his thighs, absolutely _begging_ for attention, but Hanzo wouldn’t allow it. He had to focus. He was going to beat this damn old man and his weird forest companions if it was the last thing he did.

 

Hanzo lasted about ten more minutes before he gave up and threw the controller at Jesse, GAME OVER flashing in bright letters on the screen. He pouted at Jesse’s laughter and leaned back, allowing Cas to crawl onto his chest for some cuddles. He did so immediately, snuggling up to Hanzo’s chin and rubbing against it.

 

“Perhaps I should dump you for Cas. He seems to be more understanding than you will ever be.” Hanzo glared over at Jesse, who was now concentrating intently on the game.

 

“Don’t be like that, doll. Besides, you can’t take Cas away from Josie. She’d hunt you down to the ends of the earth.” He laughed and landed a solid headshot on his invisible target. “‘Sides, ain’t my fault you’re just a sore loser, Han.”

 

The pout returned full force and Hanzo huffed, sitting up slightly. He spent a few more minutes watching Jesse play (he was _really_ good, hand-eye coordination near perfect from years of playing) before Lucia called to him from the kitchen. Hanzo followed, carrying a very clingy Cas in his arms, and was met with both Indigo and Lucia waiting for him with a large book in front of them.

 

“Hanzo! Come here, we have something to show you.” Lucia grinned and gestured to a chair at the table. Hanzo obliged, his curiosity piqued.

 

“We were organizin’ the house the other day and found this old photo album from when Jesse was a kid,” Indigo explained. “We thought you might enjoy it.”

 

Hanzo thought for a moment. He certainly couldn’t say _no_ to getting potentially embarrassing dirt on his boyfriend, could he?

 

“I would love to see your pictures,” he replied with a smile sweet as honey. Both Indigo and Lucia seemed to catch on and laughed before opening the book.

 

It was a standard album, baby pictures and snapshots of important moments in the McCree household plastered across the pages. Jesse was a chubby baby, absolutely smattered with freckles and the widest eyes Hanzo had ever seen. There were a few with Jay as well, large grin ever-present. It was strangely sentimental watching Jesse grow through the static images, especially considering that Hanzo had only met him a few years prior.

 

“Oh, here’s a good one.” Lucia pointed to a picture of a young Jesse, probably about seven or so, face red with tears in a fenced-off area. “We were visiting my parents down in Roswell, and poor little Jessito decided to mess with the donkey. He couldn’t escape the pasture for at least an hour.”

 

“So you took a picture instead of helping?”

 

“Eh, he needed to learn a lesson.” Indigo shrugged. “‘Sides, the donkey was harmless and he was havin’ fun for the first little while.”

 

“He always was a little spitfire,” Lucia sighed. “I remember one time a neighbor said he was so cute they were gonna gobble him up, like the expression, you know? Jesse didn’t get it though; when we invited the neighbor over for dinner the next week we found him hiding in the closet with our swiss army knife. He didn’t even know how to use it.”

 

Indigo nodded. “I remember bein’ proud.”

 

Lucia rolled her eyes and turned the page, obviously used to her wife’s sense of humor. Next came a few baby pictures of Josie, including Jesse and Jay’s awed reactions to her, and then a peculiar shot of Jesse with a snake hanging off of his lip, eyes wide with panic.

 

“Ah, Jay took this one.” Indigo chuckled and pointed at the picture. “Pet snake. Jess tried to hold it but the damn thing was temperamental as all hell, so it snagged on his lip. How he got that scar, y’know. Poor darlin’s been wary ‘round them ever since.”

 

Cas shifted in Hanzo’s lap as he turned. “Jesse is afraid of snakes?”

 

“He’d say cautious, but yeah. Don’t reckon there’s many on campus, though.”

 

Hanzo bit his lip to stifle a laugh. “No, there are not.”

 

The album went on, the theme of idiocy apparently a McCree family special. There was a picture of Josie carving a large M into a wooden cabinet to “stake their claim” on it, a few of Jay battered and bruised but still always smiling, and many of Jesse doing several more ridiculous things. One of them was a selfie, taken by Jesse himself, riding down a steep hill into traffic on a little red wagon. He was sixteen.

 

The album ended with a family picture, taken right before Jesse headed off to college. The whole family was smiling in the late summer sun, bags piled high around their feet. Jesse was easy to spot, always at the forefront. He looked the same as ever, hat sat high on his head and smile bright enough to blot out the sun. Hanzo found himself breathing a fond sigh at the sight. His Jesse hadn’t changed.

 

Lucia cleared her throat, interrupting Hanzo’s thoughts. “You know, we were ecstatic when Jesse told us about you. Though he’s prone to being a lovestruck fool, we could tell Jess really liked you, that you’d be good for him.” She laid a gentle hand on Hanzo’s shoulder with a smile. “And you have been. We wanted to thank you for that.”

 

“He’s been through tough times up there, and it’s far. Doesn’t call much, tends to take shit on his own. Y’know how he is,” Indigo added with a wave of her hand. “We damn well about had a heart attack with the whole arm thing, but you? You were right there for ‘im. He was up on his feet in no time, tragedy be damned. Y’need to know how much help you were, Hanzo, truly. You’re a welcome part of this family, through and through.”

 

Hanzo didn’t know what to say. He felt his eyes water, his throat close up. Jesse’s family was _kind,_ through and through. They were busy people who got by, ran hard lives and were thankful for what they had. They were humble and their acceptance was...well, again, Hanzo didn’t have words for it. He touched the blue pendant hanging under his tank subconsciously, managing a hard swallow and a nod. The McCree's looked at each other and wordlessly gathered him into a tight hug.

 

They hard barbeque for dinner that night, roasted over a campfire in the backyard. He and Jesse drank shitty craft beers and laughed, Josie told wild, vivid stories, and Jay played them a song or two on the guitar. Hanzo ended the night leaning his head on Jesse’s shoulders, taking in the warmth of the campfire and smell of ash and lupine.

 

It felt like home.

\---

They slept in the next day, content to laze about in bed until mid-afternoon. Jesse still smelled like smoke, and Hanzo couldn’t tear himself away from the solid comfort he provided, sweaty and sticky as he was.

 

All good things must end, though, and eventually the two had to get up. Jesse had said he had a surprise planned for today and told Hanzo to get dressed in layers before they headed out to the car. Jesse drove an old pickup truck, red as a cherry but dull with age. Hanzo couldn’t imagine a better car for him.  

 

They pulled onto the highway, AC blasting and music pumping. Jesse drove far too fast, the golden hills passing them by in blurs--a quick look at the speedometer saw him going eighty miles an hour in a fifty zone. Hanzo would be terrified, but when he looked at Jesse singing along loudly to some pop-country tune (“Tanya Smith songs are _bangers,_ Han.”) he couldn’t think of anything but how much he loved this idiot cowboy.

 

The surprise turned out to be Point Reyes, a national park. Jesse stared Hanzo down, daring him to crack a joke about the recurrence of the name ‘Reyes’ in their lives. Hanzo only gave a sly smile and a peck on the cheek before turning to watch the scenery.

 

It was a gorgeous place. Lush forests, large green hills and pastures. They drove down to the lighthouse, walked along its stones, traded stories about their adventures in the ocean. Genji had once belly flopped into Hanzo when jumping off a dock. Jesse won a regional fishing championship when he was eight. The sea air seemed to bring it out of them, nostalgia and salt floating easily through the breeze.

 

They made their way over to the beach and walked over the elephant seals on their way to a grassy cliff. The path was rocky, made of dirt and worn through by years of people looking for a vantage point to take pictures. From the top, where Jesse laid down a blanket for them to sit on, Hanzo could see it all; the Californian cliffs dipped and dove along the coast, the gray ocean lapping lightly at its shore. The wind blew, fierce yet gentle, like a caress along their cheeks.

 

They watched the sunset together from there, the sky bathed in pinks and oranges. Hanzo hadn’t ever seen a sunset quite like it. It painted the world in gold, highlighting Jesse’s eyes and shimmering in his hair. They shared a kiss as the last rays dipped beyond the horizon, sweet as honeysuckle.

 

Jesse brought out his serape and bundled the two of them up in it, just like he had under the cherry trees. The lay together, side by side, watching the stars slowly wink into existence. Hanzo pointed out the constellations and Jesse told some of their classical stories, ancient heroes and beasts stretching across the night sky. They lay huddled there for hours, swapping stories and secrets between kisses. Hanzo felt like he could stay here forever.

 

“Jesse,” Hanzo whispered, interrupting his boyfriend in the middle of a spiel about the legend of Orion.

 

Jesse turned to him, starlight dancing in his eyes, moonlight glinting off the shine of his teeth and he grinned at Hanzo. “Yeah, angel?”

 

“I love you.”

 

Under the stars, lying on the grass with Jesse, _his_ Jesse cuddled up next to him, he really meant it. Moreso than he ever had before.

 

“I love you, too.”

 

And he knew Jesse did too.

  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Boy mcHOWDY did this fic kill me. It got SO much longer than I thought it would be (it's the longest college au fic to date holy shit???) and is just. So Gay. This is riddled with personal references for friends and is so self-indulgent but honestly, I like the way it turned out. Made me happy to write, especially after a busy summer where I had no time at all to update fics. 
> 
> A big thanks to my ever lovely beta [Mango](http://archiveofourown.org/users/MalevolentMango), light of my life and bringer of joy to my days. She is so, _so_ talented and I encourage you to read her stuff. Another thank you to [ Lefty ](http://archiveofourown.org/users/LeftHand) who also beta'd and left me very nice screams on the doc. Another supremely talented artist and author, go check them out <3
> 
> Hit me up on [tumblr](http://schrodingerslion.tumblr.com/)! I love talking about Overwatch and I'm currently taking ['requests'](http://schrodingerslion.tumblr.com/commissions), so if that piques your fancy stop on by. 
> 
> And if this one leaves you hungry for more? Don't worry, there's plenty more college au to come! I have plans for at least three more parts, and probably more. 
> 
> Have a good one guys! And no, I don't pay for dentist bills if I gave you any cavities ;0


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